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SABBATH SCHOOL LESSON QUARTERLY
islarld there were estates belonging to the governor, whose
name was Publius. He welcomed us to his house, and for
three days generously made us his guests. It happened, how-
ever, that his father was lying ill of dysentery aggravated
by attacks of fever; so Paul went to see him, and, after
praying, laid his hands on him and cured him."
5.
November, December, and January had been spent in
Malta, evidently; and with early February, the Alexandrian
grain ships were again moving toward Italy. Syracuse was
the great port of Sicily; and at Rhegium, at the toe of the
Italian boot, the apostle first touched Italy. The company
landed at Puteoli, on the present Bay of Naples.
6.
The apostle may have stopped the seven days in order
to spend the Sabbath with the believers, even as once before
he had tarried at Troas seven days (Acts 20: 6, 7) in order
to spend a Sabbath there, leaving early Sunday morning.
7.
Paul was always cheering others on. It was because he
drew courage for himself from every token of God's good-
ness and every memory of Christ's loving grace.
"It was with a heavy heart that Paul went forward to his
long expected visit to the world's metropolis. How different
the circumstances from those he had anticipated! How was
he, fettered and stigmatized, to proclaim the gospel? His
hopes of winning many souls to the truth in Rome, seemed
destined to disappointment. . . . Suddenly a cry of joy is
heard, and a man springs from the passing throng and falls
upon the prisoner's neck, embracing him with tears and re-
joicing, as a son would welcome a long absent father. Again
and again is the scene repeated, as, with eyes made keen by
loving expectation, many discern in the chained captive the
one who at Corinth, at Philippi, at Ephesus, had spoken to
them the words of life. . . . Few realize the significance of
those words of Luke, that when Paul saw his brethren, 'he
thanked God, and took courage' In the midst of the weeping,
sympathizing company of believers, who were not ashamed
of his bonds, the apostle praised God aloud. The cloud of
sadness that had rested upon his spirit was swept away. . . .
Bonds and afflictions awaited him, he knew; but he knew also
that it had been his to deliver souls from the bondage infi-
nitely more terrible, and he rejoiced in his sufferings for
Christ's sake."—"The Acts of the Apostles," pages 448, 449.